Brew Hops & Wine Stops

Fruit and vegetable beers are interesting brews with many possibilities.  Some brewers use actual produce in the beer to achieve natural flavors, but many employ extracts, syrups, or processed flavors to simulate the desired taste.  Fruit beers are popular during the holidays: such as pumpkin beers for Halloween/Thanksgiving and cranberry for Christmas. If you're on our email list, you may have gotten this month's Craft Beer Newsletter, which featured several pumpkin beers in honor of the fact that fall is finally here.

Today, I am tasting Shipyard Brewing Pugsley’s Signature Series “Smashed Blueberry”; also look for their “Smashed Pumpkin”.  The blueberry blue bottle tells the story of this 9.0% ABV blueberry powerhouse.  It is a hybrid between a Porter and a Scotch Ale, an intriguing combination.  It is being served chilled in my Guinness tumbler.

Appearance:  Pours a coffee brown with a massive Coke colored head (not Coke itself but the foam that results from pouring a warm Coke).

Nose:  It smells very much like fresh blueberry pie.  There are hints of a baked crust and jammy fruit.  Coffee from the Porter lingers in the background.  Violet Beauregarde flashes in my mind.

Taste:  Not overly blueberry, in fact the fruit flavor hovers in the background to accentuate the forward coffee flavors.  Hop presence sticks to the front of the tongue while the blueberries gush for a pleasant finish.  A burst of coffee returns with every exhale. As it warms up the Scotch Ale is more prevalent.  Slight chocolate and caramel notes flash in and out of the blueberry essence. 

This beer has complexity for days.  A treat for people who like a sweet flair.  You can find it for a limited time at your local ABC.

Beer blogger Adam Shugan is the resident beer expert at our Newberry Road, Gainesville store.

Day 3 (Part 2): Finca Allende

The waning hours of the afternoon has our group travelling to the hamlet of Briones a few kilometers south of San Vicente.  Briones is famous for its Museo de la Culture del Vino, universally acclaimed as Spain’s best wine museum, with its educational center and modern winery (Dinastia Vivanco).  I had the pleasure last year of visiting with winemaker Rafael Vivanco, tasting his wines and perusing some of the Museo’s exhibits and artifacts.  Driving by this landmark had me reminiscing a bit.

Briones is also noted for Finca Allende, one the best wineries in the Rioja Alta, and the brainchild of flamboyant proprietor and winemaker, Miguel Angel de Gregorio.  Miguel is a self-affirmed “terroiriste” and believes strongly that the soil in his vineyards is the secret to his expressive wines. 

We caught up with him and his export manager, Nathalie Lebouef, in the vineyards and it couldn’t have been more than 10 minutes into our visit before he was scooping up a handful of dirt and inviting us to smell its essence.  He then encouraged us to taste the wine that was the end result (a glass of which was conveniently on hand) and to note the relationship.  To reinforce his point, Miguel would repeat this exercise several times: we would drive a short distance, stop at a specific location, smell the dirt and taste the wine. 

During our sojourn, we would stop at the source of each of his single-vineyard wines: Pago del Calvario and Aurus, their parcels of old-vine Tempranillo now shimmering in the late day sun, and Martires, a plot of Viura planted in 1970.  These wines are nothing short of stunning!  I’ve always been a fan of Finca Allende’s reds, and tasting them in the place where they live, did nothing to dissuade my sentiments.

However, the Martires was a complete revelation for me.  Here was a single vineyard Rioja Blanca that reminded me of a top Premier Cru Burgundy even though it’s made from a different varietal, grown in the Ebro River valley of Spain and not the Cote d’Or of France.  Gout de Terrior? Yes, Finca Allende has it in spades!

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida.

When I first discovered wines, and inevitably wine books, I very quickly found myself hyper-focused on vintages. I was young and impressionable, what can I say! If I read somewhere that 1978 was exceptional in Bordeaux, I assumed 1978 must be a wonderful year everywhere. Wish it worked that way, but it doesn’t. I was fortunate to have a mentor who taught me way back then, about 30 years ago, that not only was that not the case, but even qualifying an entire region (or even a sub-region) by the success of the top wines was not a good belief to subscribe to. He took it one step further, two steps in fact….and I swear even today what he told me stands true.

 First, I should judge each wine, regardless of vintage, on what is in my glass, that every bottle of every wine was a little bit different than the others. So many other factors could influence my appreciation, that basing my like/dislike only on the year on the label was misleading. Wine changes every day….every bottle, every vintage, a little every day. Some days are better than others. Some bottles are better than others. He taught me to appreciate every wine as though it were my first time tasting it, and not worry about what the critics opinion was, or whether or not is was a ‘good year’.

 ….which brings me to his second point: Most estates will make a good wine in a good vintage, but the best winemakers will make a good wine even in difficult years. Case in point (funny how I always make my case with Bordeaux!) is Bordeaux. Some of the most enjoyable, affordable, useful vintages in Bordeaux are not the 1982s or the 2000s...vintages that will drain your bank accounts and run up massive bills at Bern’s Steakhouse.

Try wines from those ‘other’ vintages, like 1993 or 2002, what the press categorized as ‘off’ vintages or better yet, as ‘restaurant’ vintages. There is a reason they call them that. They often mature quicker, sell for less, and still offer every bit of AWE that those estates are known for… in the ‘Vintages of the Century’.

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

Cruising the Danube River in Austria you'll discover centuries-old castles and abbeys along the towering cliffs, quaint villages and terraced vineyards.  It's here where you'll find Austria's most widely planted grape variety, Gruner Veltliner. 

It has been my goal for quite a few years to attract as many people to this wine as possible.  If you've never tasted GV you're in for real treat.  Top critics, sommeliers and many of "us" wine lovers have had our hearts captured with this wine.  Gruner Veltliner grapes are late ripening, sometimes in mid-November.  It's a highly concentrated, weighty wine that doesn't get enough attention.

EXCEPT.....................    in 2002 it bested "grand cru" chardonnays from Burgundy in a blind tasting in London.  This comparative blind tasting was organized by the fine wine dealer and collector Jan-Erik Paulson and hosted by Jancis Robinson. 

Seven of the top 10 winners were Austrian wines with first and third place going to a Gruner Veltliner!

Now you have even more reasons to try it.  ABC currently has the 2009 Hopler GV, a great pasta and salad wine.

Marie/Wine Supervisor ABC North/West Coast

Guest blogger Michael Talley visited the humidor for a taste of One Leaf Gigante.

Origin:           Honduras

Format:           Parejo

Size:             6 x 52 approx.

Wrapper:          Honduran – Maduro

Binder:           Connecticut Habano

Filler:           Undisclosed Central American blend

Hand Made

Price $5.00

Cigar was purchased from a humidor in ABC Fine Wine and Spirits.  This brand is new to the market.

 Appearance:

Good looking, substantial cigar.  Wrapper has no large veins, bumps, or blemishes and seems to be of good quality but feels dry when rolled in the fingers.  Pre-light flavor is unsweetened cocoa.

 Construction:

Well made; wrapper is tight, very firm to the touch and cap was engineered seamlessly.  As the smoke progressed, wrapper began to disintegrate, starting just below the cap and exposing the binder.  Cap began to disintegrate after this. (May have been too dry.)

 Flavor:

Begins on the harsh side, draws well, burns evenly, no canoeing, maintains a solid gray ash.

First third began strong, tending toward dark chocolate and wood flavors.

Second third, flavors settled down, and became slightly more complex with the introduction of leather to the mix.

Final third presented hot with cocoa flavor rebounding.

 Rating and value: The cigar is well made with quality components. One should expect a medium-bold smoke.  Burn time was 75 minutes.  Price is very reasonable.

As you will quickly learn, there are two loves in my life: football and beer.  They usually go hand and hand in my house on Saturdays and Sundays in the fall.  As the NFL opened their season a couple of weeks ago, and colleges went into the second week of their schedule at the same time, I felt it was finally time to start drinking some fall seasonal beers.  You will also see that I prefer seasonal brews. What is the fun of having something available 24/7/365?  If McDonald's sold the Shamrock shake all year long, would you crave them as much as you do in March? Please don't even get me started about Girl Scout cookies. But, back to football and seasonal beers.

I spent my Saturday night watching my Florida Gators quickly dispose of UAB while I had the pleasure of savoring Life and Limb.  This beer is a collaboration between two of my favorite breweries, Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada.  This is a dark beer brewed with maple syrup (Dogfish Head's contribution) and birch syrup (Sierra Nevada's contribution).  Birch and maple also had me excited because those are two flavors I associate with my youth; my grandfather loved birch beer and I remember my family always having maple syrup around from our vacations to Vermont.  When I first heard these two micro brew giants got together to make a beer, I figured it had a to be a hop monster, much like their flagship brews (Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale and Dogfish Head's 60 minute IPA).  I was wrong in my assumption (I think there is some famous saying about what happens when you assume).  This beer is pitch black as it poured from the bottle, but had the great inviting aroma of winter flavors.  Upon tasting the beer I tasted the birch syrup flavors up front and the maple flavors came on towards the finish. The beer had enough hops to keep the beer from becoming sweet and dominated by the two syrups.  If I had any criticism here it was that I drank this beer too early in the fall/winter season.  This beer needs to be imbibed on a cool, grey winter day while outside or inside watching a football game being played in a blizzard. Thus I have reason to purchase a second bottle if I can find one. This is a very limited release beer: check with your local ABC store ASAP and buy one because these will not be on the shelves for long.

On Monday night, I didn't know what I wanted to drink while I watched the Dolphins open their season.  My fridge is already full of pumpkin beers, but I wasn't in a pumpkin mood.  I saw a beer order come into our Palm Beach Gardens store today with a case of Abita's Pecan Harvest Ale on it and the light bulb went off in my head.  I have always loved Abita's regular brews, but have little experience with their seasonal stuff.  This beer comes out of the bottle with a classic golden brown beer color.  It drinks very easy with some caramel and woodsy flavors.  If you are expecting roasted pecans or pecan pralines in a glass, this is not the beer for you.  If you like brown ales such as Newcastle, this is a perfect beer for you.  The beer had nutty aromas and flavors, much like meat smoked over the wood from pecan trees would have.   This was a perfect beer for what I wanted, easy drinking with plenty of flavor and character.  Now I just need to hope that my Dolphins will bring me as much pleasure as this beer did.

Keep your glasses half full,
Evan

Beer blogger Evan Kaye is the store manager at our Palm Beach Gardens store.

Vermouth. What is it? Most of us know that vermouth is an ingredient used in a number of cocktails, most famously in the Martini and the Manhattan, but apart from that it’s one of those bottles that sits around at the back of our home bar or drinks cupboard because we don’t know what else to do with it, or indeed whether it will last over time or go off once opened.

            In stores it is usually kept alongside the gins and vodkas, and for this reason many people don’t even realize that vermouth is a wine. And okay, it may not deserve to lie down next to your first growth Bordeaux or Brunello, but sitting outside and sipping on a glass of dry or sweet vermouth served over ice and with a twist of lemon can be a very soulful experience. Among friends, it’s a perfect, simple, laid back, fun drink.

            So what exactly is vermouth? The word itself comes from the German word ‘Wermut’ which translates as ‘wormwood’, an herb which was traditionally mixed with wine and praised for its medicinal properties – especially for stomach disorders and intestinal parasites. Vermouth as we know it today originated in the late 18^th century, and to be honest, it was simply a way of using up wine that was going bad. They took the base wine, fortified it with grape spirits, and aromatized it with a mix of dry ingredients consisting of herbs, roots, and bark.

            The grapes used to make vermouth can vary according to region. Often in Europe you’ll find grapes like Clairette blanche, Picpoul, Catarratto, and Ugni Blanc (aka Trebbiano in Italy) used. The dry ingredients may include such things as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sage, quinine, citrus peel, gentian, marjoram, chamomile, cardamom, coriander, juniper, hyssop, ginger, and wormwood. Wormwood – once a prime ingredient – was used in much less quantity after the banning of absinthe (which contains wormwood) in Europe and America between the early 1900’s and the beginning of the 21^st century, but is still used in small quantities. There is no connoisseurship associated with vermouth. Each producer has their own secret recipe of dry ingredients. Their vermouth is consistently the same year after year. The consumer buys according to which producer he or she likes.

            The first commercial vermouth seems to have come from Italy and was sweet. The color or sweetness of the grapes, by the way, has nothing to do with vermouth’s sweetness. The sweetness comes from the addition of sugar syrup before fortification. The red color is a result of adding caramel color. A few years later, France began to offer dry vermouth as an alternative. Of course both countries now produce a dry and a sweet version. In Europe you will also occasionally see rosé vermouth.

            Dry vermouth can also be used as a substitute for white wine in cooking – it works well in your sauce for fish dishes, or in a marinade for chicken and pork. Sweet vermouth is sometimes used in desserts.

            Because it is fortified, vermouth will not go off as quickly as other wines. An opened bottle will last for 1 – 3 months. It should be refrigerated once it has been opened to slow the oxidation.

            As for its famed use in a Martini, did you know that the original Martini was made with gin and sweet vermouth? Or that the cocktail originally called for more vermouth than gin? It wasn’t until around 1904 that the dry Martini came into being. The term ‘dry Martini’ was first used to denote a Martini made with dry rather than sweet vermouth. Only later did it come to mean a cocktail made with less and less quantities of vermouth. It’s said that Noel Coward’s recipe for a Martini was to fill a glass with gin, turn toward Italy, and bow. Alfred Hitchcock preferred to wave his shaker of gin over a capped bottle of vermouth. Personally, I like to taste a little vermouth in my Martini. But then, I enjoy it straight….

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

The new 2009 vintage of Dubois Nuits Saint Georges has arrived!!!

 I just re-tasted the wine this past Friday and liked it even more than my first tasting of it; the several extra months in the bottle have been beneficial to the 2009 Dubois Nuits St. Georges.

 The wine exhibits saturated, bright ruby color and aromas and flavors of crushed red berries, strawberries, dark cherries and blue flowers (violets). The tannins are medium, ripe and well integrated; the wine is balanced with good acidity and a touch of spicy oak. The wine is medium to full-bodied with very round mouth-feel and good concentration.

The 2009 Dubois Nuits Saint Georges is a great value, priced at $32.99.

 The last time our ABC Wine Team had the chance to taste this wine, before this past Friday, was on October 22^nd 2010 in Burgundy with Raphael Dubois.

Raphael is the owner and winemaker. All wines tasted that day showed power and elegance; the older vintages were complex, supple and distinct.

 The 2008 Dubois Nuits St-Georges is also still available in select stores; not available for special order from the warehouse.

The wine shows bright ruby-red color, lovely floral bouquet, and flavors of red fruits and cranberry, ripe tannins and long finish.

 Open both wines for a small but very nice vertical tasting, to discover the subtleties of the 2008 and 2009 vintages in Burgundy.

Santé!

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

I have been on a Washington State soap box for ten years now, touting the quality to price ratio of their wines.  When guests come in to my ABC for advice, they love to share with me the details of their exciting vacation to "Wine Country". My response is always the same: "So how was the weather in Seattle and Walla Walla?" They look at me like I am delusional and respond "Seattle? I was talking about Napa Valley or Sonoma in California." I always get a pair of listening ears when I come back with "Napa Valley and Sonoma? Do they make wine there too?" I love vacationing in Napa Valley and Somona and doing wine tastings etc. I also recognize that the #1 wine on last year's Top 100 List from Wine Spectator was the 2007 Saxum James Barry Vineyard Syrah from Paso Robles, California. I've had the wine and it is spectacular. I also shelled out $80 for this high scoring effort. I really believe that when it comes to the grape Syrah/Shiraz that even better than the French, no one does it better than Washington State.

Stop accusing me of having dementia. There are over 700 wineries in Washington State, 36,000 acres of vineyards producing 14 million cases of wines per year, only 2nd to the state of California. By the way, I know you still think I have more than one screw loose , but I am not the only crazy person here. Jason Smith, the beverage director of The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas has recently just removed a huge amount of California wines off of the hotel's wine list (especially Syrah) and replaced them with Syrahs from Washington State. He was also quoted in the Dec 15th issue of Wine Spectator saying "I would take a Washington Syrah in most cases over anything from the Northern Rhone Valley of France." That's a pretty bold statement considering the big bold Syrahs from areas like Crozes Hermitage and Cornas in the Northern Rhone.

 Enter stage left, Dave and Cecile Larsen from Soos Creek Winery in Kent, Washington. They operate a small family winery since 1989. They are mostly known for their Bordeaux red blends. 2007 was their first 100% Syrah debut. The grapes are sourced from the three best vineyards for Syrah in the state: the Boushey vineyard, the Riverbend and the Lewis. Cecile said that her husband Dave is so busy during the fall season in the vineyards that he looks like a comet. Hence the name of the wine: Commander Comet.  The perfume of this wine after 30 minutes of breathing, is like grandma's homemade blueberry pie. On the palate, silky lush black and blue fruits just glide across the tongue finishing with a slight pepper spice and a hint of licorice. It is just such an easy wine to drink with a lot of finesse and ripe, sweet fruit. The retail price on this great wine is $21.99. So many of my guests are Syrah/Shiraz fans and they always say, "Larry, I want you to pick me out an O.K everyday Syrah but nothing that breaks the bank." My guests and I agree that at $21.99, but drinks like $50-$60, the 2007 Soos Creek Commander Comet is waaaaaay more than just an "O.K-Syrah, Syrah"

 Larry Baker is the wine consultant at our Pembroke Pines store. You can tap in to more of his wine musings on his personal website, www.larrythewineguy.net.

I love when my friends want to share a special bottle of wine with me...who wouldn't? A couple of weeks ago  one of my best friends told me he had a bottle of 1970 Mouton Rothschild in his cellar that needed to be opened. I never bothered to ask why it "needed" to be opened but I'll get to that.

I don't get the opportunity to drink historic wine like this every day so when he told me he was going to pop the cork I headed over his house. Any 40 year old wine has a history associated with it and 1970 Mouton probably has more than your average wine. 

Mouton Rothschild is, of course, one of the five first growths of Bordeaux. When this wine was produced, however, it was still legally classified as a second growth. In 1973 Mouton Rothschild was elevated to first growth status after decades of intense lobbying by Baron Philippe de Rothschild.

Baron Philippe de Rothschild was a brilliant marketer of his wines. He came up with the idea of having each years label designed by a famous artist. The 1970 label was designed by Marc Chagall.

Mostly forgotten was the fact that the 1970 Mouton Rothschild took second place in the historic 1976 Judgement of Paris Competition. Everyone just remembers that the 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet narrowly defeated the 1970 Mouton.

I could go on and on about the history of Mouton, but why did this bottle "need" to be opened? When I arrived at my friends house the answer was obvious. The fill level in the bottle was lower than I had ever seen in a corked bottle of wine. While it is normal for the amount of space between the top of the wine and the bottom of the cork to increase over time, the level for this bottle was half way down the shoulder of the bottle. I was sure the wine was dead and gone but I figured I might be able to find some redeeming quality in the wine. Boy was I wrong!

The cork was intact and still tight. After carefully decanting the wine we were both blown away by the intoxicating aromatics. Cedar, leather, dried cranberry and scents I have a hard time describing soared from the glass. The wine still had pretty firm tannins and a finish that seemed to last for minutes.

I am often asked if such and such a wine is really worth the price. Having just consumed an unforgettable wine like the 1970 Mouton Rothschild my answer would be yes.
1970 Chateau Mouton Rothschild

Paul Quaglini

Just as you are recovering from the alcohol stupor of the American and English Barleywines, Belgium comes with the TKO blow known as the Quadrupel, the big brother of Tripel and Dubbel (for a later blog).  This is a Trappist monk inspired Belgian titan that is packed full of alcohol and flavor.  I will now sample Victory Brewing Company “V-Twelve”.

The label is very colorful and informative with a suggested serving temperature of below 45 F in a wide-mouthed glass.  They say to sip it slowly so the flavors envelop as it warms up.  It is a vintage-dated ale; mine was born April 12^th 2011.  There is a huge 12% ABV and an attractive caged cork like a Champagne bottle.  I am going to drink this one young but I suggest buying two and cellaring one for a few years, I bet it would taste phenomenal as with many cellared vintage brews.

Appearance:   Pours a bright garnet, almost like wine but not as opaque.  It leaves a nice pillowing head like a root beer float.  When held up to the light, the bottom changes to sunset orange and then progresses to a fiery garnet on top.

Smell:  Spikes of dried fruit, dates, raisons, ripe bananas, and boozy alcohol. 

Taste:  Heavy, rummy, molasses with butterscotch notes.  Good hop balance keeping the barley malt in check.  I am letting it warm up a bit and I am getting a bit of apricot but the alcohol kick stays strong.  Some aging will probably even the alcohol out.

This is a nice bold brew and a fine American version of the Belgian style.  Victory continues to offer great beers.  Other Quads you may find at ABC include St Bernardus “ABT 12”, a true Belgian Quad, look for it in a 12oz four-pack and a 22oz bomber.  Also, Ommegang “Three Philosophers,” blended with a Kreik for a nice dark cherry taste, and Koningshoeven “La Trappe Quadrupel”, another true Belgian.  

  Adam Shugan, Gainesville beer blogger

Day 3 (Part 1): Rioja Revisited

Our third day finds us leaving Zaragoza one final time and travelling north to the famous wine region of Rioja.  This is my second trip in as many years to this picturesque denominacion and a flood of fond memories return as I see the names of familiar places appear on the road signs along AP-68 (AP stands for Autopista).   

Our first stop is a morning visit to the charming Bodegas Ilurce located in the Rioja Baja within the town of Alfaro.  Owned and operated by the Escaduro family since 1940, this small yet completely modern winery produces a very tasty Rioja Rosado made from 100% Grenache and an equally delicious, indigo hued Rioja Tinto made entirely from the obscure Graciano grape.  Once snubbed by grape growers in the region because of its penchant for being a late ripener, Graciano, a flavorful, complex and deeply colored variety, is enjoying a welcomed resurgence in Rioja these days. 

Later that morning, we continue onwards into the heart of the Rioja Alta to keep an appointment with renowned winemaker Marcos Eguren at Bodegas Sierra Cantabria in the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra.  Senor Eguren’s, and his brothers are behind some of Spain’s most iconic wines in both Rioja (Sierra Cantabria, San Vicente, Vinedos de Paganos) and the denominacion of Toro (Numanthia, Teslo la Monja) in western Spain.  His soft-spoken, almost professorial demeanor belies the talent and conviction that has brought him to the viticultural forefront.  He believes passionately that great wines are made in the vineyard.  We spent an afternoon with him, his brother Miguel and his son Eduardo touring through the vineyards at Vinedos de Paganos in Rioja Alavesa.

Tasting through Marcos’ exceptional Rioja portfolio, including single vineyard titans El Puntido and La Nieta it’s hard to argue – these wines are singular expressions of their terroirs.   The highlight of our afternoon was a leisurely lunch at San Vicente highlighted by a magnum of 1970 pulled from the cellar by Marcos himself and shared with us.  It was a special treat.  Drinking old vintages of Rioja like this one is like drinking time in a bottle.  The 1970 vintage in Rioja is widely regarded as a benchmark year for the region and the wine was still amazingly fresh. 

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida

I hear this description quite a bit, and I was never sure it was meant as a compliment or as something to say because there was nothing else to say about the wine. It is almost like using that sweet Southern expression “Bless her heart” when what they really mean is “she meant well, but I wouldn’t have done it that way.”

 My issue with this expression (“nice little wine”) is the word ‘little,’ which I think means, at least in this context, of no real consequence…..not important. Do you agree? Many tasters distill wines they have no interest in down to these four little words.

I wonder sometimes if the word little is directed at the wine’s body, the wine’s importance, or the wine’s price. If ‘little’ is aimed at a particular wine’s price, maybe the wine offers good bang for the buck, nice price/quality ratio? Not a bad thing!

 If ‘little’ is aimed at the wine’s importance (more likely the wine’s unimportance) which is to say it is well made, but does not compare in any way to big, important wines, then I suppose it could be a compliment. Important wines are only that way because they are recognized, but as the price of these important wines continue to rise beyond most consumers’ means, many of us are looking for either alternatives or the next level of quality behind the big guys. Can’t afford 1^st Growth Bordeaux anymore, even the super seconds are unattainable, so people begin to look at whatever else Bordeaux has to offer in place of those important wine…..the wines that used to be ‘the little wines’!

 Lastly, if ‘little’ is aimed at the wine’s body, weight or size (I think most tasters mean this when they say those words) then it is no longer complimentary, but I think insulting to the wine. Sadly, I add, because what it really means is that a wine’s quality needs to be based on its weight, level of alcohol, extract, etc. How untrue is this! Elegant wines are easy to overlook, especially when you taste many wines at a time. The bigger wine always wins: more body, more oak, more ooohs and ahhhs….and the winner is….

 The mega-ripe, huge wines are certainly show stoppers, but that style (Yes, it is a style, a conscious decision by the winemaker) I think is mostly popular in America. Once the wine has impressed everyone, what do you do with it? I know…..put it in your cellar and watch it mature while in the meantime, you open wines you actually enjoy drinking, having at the table, matching with foods….yep, you guessed it, those little wines.

 While we are on the subject, check out this gem:

 CHÂTEAU DE MACARD: Bordeaux Supérieur 2009

ABC Price $12.99

Wine Spectator rating: 90

‘Ripe and dense, but fresh, with silky-textured plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit carried by sweet spice and maduro tobacco notes. The fleshy finish shows nice drive. Should open up more with brief cellaring. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. ‘

 Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

 
"Organic" is booming all over the world and that includes German viticulture. Organic wine 
production has almost doubled in the last four years here. 

Around 5000 hectares of German vineyards are farmed organically, which is about 5% of all winegrowing areas.  Many of the organic winegrowers have noticed that switching to organic production has improved the quality of their wines.

Organic farming method is nothing more than maintaining a vineyard in tune with the surrounding ecosystem.  NO artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides are allowed to be used.  Planting "cover crops" between the vineyard rows or even in the vine rows helps to retain the ecological balance in the vineyards.  Attracting beneficial insects is also used to retain the ecological balance in the vineyard.

(nesting aid for beneficial insects)                   ("cover crop" between vine rows)

There is no difference in taste between organic wines and conventionally made wines, mostly, because the cellar practices are the same.  The wines are just made from "organic" grapes.

Marie Griffin, Wine Supervisor, North/West Florida

I get approached by many of my customers who are being told by their physicians and the media to drink more red wine due to the heart healthy, cholesterol lowering, health benefits. The problem is they can't stomach the taste of any red wine as they have been drinking sweet Rieslings or Moscatos and White Zinfandels.  The analogy I give them is that #1- just like anything in life, you often can't just take a giant leap or discontinue cold turkey--something like a medication, for example--without taking baby steps. #2- Don't succumb to peer pressure. When you are out enjoying your Riesling or White Zinfandel and one of your friends is drinking a big red, dry wine, they always try to force people into tasting their wine saying "Try it you'll like it," or "Just take a sip it's delicious." You take a sip to be polite and then you make a face like you are having a seizure and the next day you run to your local wine shop and buy a case of Moscato or Riesling. Now, don't misinterpret what I am saying. I love a good Asti or our Costarossa Sangue di Guida as I love all wines. It is my job and my passion. But if you are interested in getting to the point of enjoying the taste of drier red wines you can't just go from years of drinking sweet wines to a Cabernet Sauvignon....baby steps.

I don't say you are going to LOVE my wine suggestion, but you will be able to tolerate it and develop a taste for a wine with less sugar content if we reduce the sweetness level just a tiny bit at first. In case you didn't know: sugar converts to alcohol. If the fermentation process is halted, there is residual sugar and the end result is lower alcohol. On all still wines the rule of thumb is, the lower the alcohol, the sweeter the wine. The only way to get higher alcohol levels is to drink fortified wines like Ports and Sherries where the wines are fortified, not with calcium or vitamin D, but with alcohol. The average bottle of dry red wine has between 13-14.5 % alcohol. The average Asti or Moscato d' Asti or Riesling has between 5 -7%...all residual sugar. Quite a jump, so for many people, it's easier to make if they aim for a halfway point.

Here is my "weaning program": Go to your local ABC Fine Wine and Spirits and ask for a bottle of Skyleaf Riesling from the Waipara Valley in New Zealand. It's the perfect first baby step. A grape that people who adore sweet wines are familiar with but made in a less "sugarfied" way and with 12.5 % Alcohol. You will get flavors of white peaches with a finish of pink grapefruit and a clean finish. By your 3rd bottle, I bet you that you will not only tolerate it, but you will love it. Next we would go to maybe a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Blanc until we slowly but surely can introduce Pinot Noir on to your former sweet-wine-only palate. After a few weeks of grape varietals like Pinot Noir...we move up to Merlots and then big dry red wines. After 2 months I suggest trying one bottle of whatever really sweet wine you used to drink.  You may still enjoy them, but probably not as your first choice for an every day wine (they're still excellent when paired with the right foods, of course). Remember, wean yourself off of the sugar slowly with baby steps and soon you will be enjoying the taste and the health benefits of red wines....doctor's orders!

Guest blogger Larry Baker is the wine consultant in our Pembroke Pines store. You can see more of his wine musings on his website as well, at www.larrythewineguy.net.

     Craft beer is enjoying a rising popularity over its mass-produced counterparts, and rightfully so. Americans have long craved a hands-on attention to detail in nearly every aspect of our lives, so why should what we drink be any different? The beers we choose to consume can tell a story about who we are and how we identify ourselves. A long day at the office could be suited to a nice IPA. The blue collar crowd is who we can thank for the style of beer we know as “porter.”

     So how do we identify with those beers which are a bit…different? Take for example “Crème Brulee” by Southern Tier brewery. A thick head introduces the nearly overwhelming nose of vanilla and caramel. One sip and you will have little doubt where this milk stout derives its name from. The finish is long and matches perfectly on par with what you would expect from a beer that is as thick and viscous as this one.      

     Delaware brewer Dogfish Head has a well established relationship with unusual beers such as their limited release “Theobroma.” This ale muddles honey, cocoa, ancho chilies, and ground annatto using a recipe dating back to 1200 BC. The pale color will initially surprise you as this beer demonstrates a fair amount of carbonation. Faint honey and sweet peppers come forward through the beer which disguises any chocolate or hot pepper spice that you may expect. The finish leaves a tad of sweetness with some fresh residual bubbles to clean things up.

     Cider finds itself in this niche market with Woodchuck of Vermont offering a winter seasonal cider that is aged in both French and American oak barrels and exhibits a dryness and mouth feel not unlike champagne. For spring 2011 they left us with a seasonal draft that included brown sugar, and was reminiscent of maple syrup.

     Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams nearly built the craft market for the United States and gave us a proper nod this year with their respective “Beer Camp” and “Longshot: Category 23” offerings. In these mix packs you will find several types of experimental beers pioneered by either their in house brew masters, or customer submitted recipes. Both do an excellent job of exploring the unusual beer realm with beers like the Juniper Black Ale which carries heavy pine notes, or the Honey B’s Lavender ale which has a palate dominated by the lavender pedals and honey used to brew it.

     With this massive flood of new and unusual beers expanding at such a rapid rate there is almost no telling what we can expect to find in the future. These beers shape the type of consumer we are, and our ever-lasting quench for the new and unusual fuels the market furiously. All that is certain is that the unusual beer party is just getting started.      

Rory claims a work history as varied and colorful as the beers he blogs about. Currently he spends a good part of his waking hours at our Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, store, where he recently joined our beer blogging team.

It strikes me as strange that after a year and a half of daily blogs on this site nobody has yet posted a recipe for one of the great food and wine staples – Mussels in White Wine Sauce! Well, let me remedy that immediately….

            The beauty of this dish is that it’s a) SO simple, and b) SO delicious, and c) pairs with just about any dry or dry-ish white or rosé wine that you happen to be flirtatiously or deeply in love with. It’s perfect for anytime gatherings – indoors or out - and never fails to impress. And it’s easy on the budget, too. To top it all, mussels are protein rich and full of vitamin B12 and iron.

            Ingredients:

• 1 oz butter


• 1 cup onion (or shallots), chopped fine


• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed


• 2 cups white wine


• 4 lbs fresh or fresh frozen mussels, scrubbed with beards removed


• freshly ground black pepper


• kosher salt (optional)


• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add onions or shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring until the onions or shallots are golden. Add wine, and bring to the boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.


2. Add mussels and cook for 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that have not opened by this time. Remove mussels from liquid with a slotted spoon and place in serving dish. Season the sauce to taste with black pepper and kosher salt, pour over the mussels, and sprinkle with parsley. If preferred the mussels can also be served over linguine or other pasta. To eat, scoop the mussels out of the shell with a spoon or fork or by using a shell as a utensil or – just use your fingers. Don’t forget some crusty bread to soak up all that good liquid.

Easy, no? I enjoyed this dish earlier this year in New Zealand, where it was prepared for us by our hosts at Villa Maria Estates. They added two extra ingredients which made a huge difference and which I would heartily recommend. First they added one finely chopped chili pepper in with the onions and garlic, and second they sprinkled lots of fresh cilantro over everything upon serving. Absolutely delicious!

(I also have memories of enjoying mussels like this one Sunday afternoon in Rheims in the Champagne area. Three colleagues and I stopped in a large, packed restaurant that seated hundreds of people. The menu was full of choices but virtually everybody as far as the eye could see was enjoying the house specialty – mussels in white wine sauce served in buckets. I’d never seen so many mussels in one place.)

So what wine should be used in preparing the liquid? As I said – any dry white wine you happen to like. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but of course it should be something you would be willing to drink. I usually have two bottles of the chosen wine handy – which leaves a little over a bottle and a half to drink. There are many wines you could choose from but a few fine recommendations would be ---

Cross Springs Sauvignon Blanc (Lake County, California) $12.99 RRP

Ma Fleur Chardonnay (Vin de Pays D’Oc, France) $10.99 RRP

Ch Roustan Rosé (Costières de Nimes, France) $9.99 RRP

Zellina Pinot Grigio (Friuli Latisana, Italy) $8.99 RRP

Young Meg Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand) $12.99 RRP

Graham Beck Chenin Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc (Coastal Region, South Africa) $10.99 RRP

Bon Appétit!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

A very long wait is over!! A Grand Cru Chablis is available again; from the stellar 2009 vintage Chateau de Maligny Les Clos is offered at an incredible $69.99. This is a wine of great concentration, power and intensity, and with a very long aging potential.

The Grand Cru of Chablis is located above the village on a south facing steep slope.

It is composed of seven vineyards, “lieu-dit,” of which Les Clos is considered the best. Grand Cru Chablis along with the Grand Crus of Corton Charlemagne and Montrachet are undoubtedly the world’s best Chardonnays. Unlike Montrachet, Grand Cru Chablis is still affordable;--don't miss on this opportunity, as quantities are very limited.

Maligny is a village of some 740 inhabitants eight kilometers north of Chablis. Maligny is the northernmost tip of the region's Kimmeridgian soils. Just south of the village is the premier cru l'Homme Mort, part of the principal premier cru Fourchaume.

Maligny’s famous landmark, the Château de Maligny, came into existence in the 12th century, edified by Hughes de Maligny: it is the most magnificent estate in all of the Chablisien. Vines were first planted here in 1217. Chateau de Maligny is the largest private producer of Chablis wine in the region and is, in fact, the largest estate in all of Burgundy. Located in the very heart of the Chablis appellation, the vineyards contain a high concentration of steep, well-exposed hillsides of rocky soil, terrain that guarantees the exceptional quality of the wine. The property consists of 480 acres of vineyard land producing thousands of cases of estate bottled Chardonnay. Chateau de Maligny has been honored by receiving the highest awards possible in nearly every international wine competition.

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

A fortunate few from ABC traveled to St. Croix, a Caribbean Sea island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, to learn how Cruzan Rum is made.  Christopher Columbus discovered St. Croix in 1493. Over the years, this little island, once rich in sugar cane, was controlled by a succession of seven different nations.  The last, Denmark, sold it to the United States and since then it has been an unincorporated territory of the U.S.  In 1927, U.S. Virgin Islanders were granted American citizenship.  St. Croix is the largest of the U.S Virgin Islands [St. John, St. Croix and St. Thomas] and is 28 miles by 7 miles.

Our trip took us by air from Miami to St. Thomas, boat ferry to St. John, then boat ferry, taxi and sea plane to reach St. Croix and the Cruzan Rum Distillery. Islanders drive on the left side of the road and roads are winding due to the terrain.  While Hurricane Irene headed north, we traveled south to turquoise waters, blue skies, gentle breezes and a medium temperature of 85 degrees year round. After passing the new and rather sterile looking Capt. Morgan facility, we arrived at the home of Cruzan Rum.  The buildings show the effects of years of being surrounded by salt water, and there is a comfortable blending between old and new.   Nothing fancy, but a charming, working distillery.

Cruzan Rum Distillery [pronounced “kru-shun”], founded in 1760, is owned by Beam Global Spirits & Wines, Inc. and run by members of 7^th generation “Crucians,” the Nelthropp family.  Donald “Hardy” Nelthropp, Sr., while officially retired, drops in often and can be seen on their website.  He is slim, weathered and soft spoken, with a passion for the rum business. He reminded me of a southern gentleman, though his family was actually from Denmark.  His children are heavily involved in the day-to-day business: Donald “Donnie” Nelthropp, Jr.  is Vice President and  is in charge of Maintenance, Gary Nelthropp is Master Distiller and President of Cruzan Rum, and daughter, Karen {Nelthropp} Low is in charge of PR and guest relations.  They were all friendly and relaxed while showing us around their facilities.  They also share a passion for producing consistently high quality rums.

To be called rum, it must be made with a sugar cane derivative sugar and be below 190 proof.  Sugar cane used to be grown all over the island, but wide scale growing ceased years ago.  Sugar cane molasses [a by-product of sugar production] is now imported to create Cruzan Rum.  Into the 500 gallon “seed” tanks go molasses, yeast and water.  Later it is pumped to 4,000 gallon, then 30,000 gallon fermentation tanks.  Along the way, more molasses is introduced and oxygen pumped in to energize the converting process.   Natural fermentation takes place quickly, and produces a bubbling, foaming mix as sugar converts to alcohol.  No one can resist leaning over the tank and getting a sinus-clearing jolt of fermenting mash. 

After fermentation is complete, the mix goes through a five column distillation process which removes water from the mash and separates the alcohols.  During this distillation, most fusel alcohols are removed and the final result is a clean, pure 189 proof distillate alcohol.  Lab testing throughout the process assures that the final product is always high quality distillate with just the right amount of alcohol components.  The “almost rum” is now cut and put in once-used bourbon barrels for aging.  This distillate is the basis for all Cruzan products.    Different rums are created by length of time in barrels, flavor components added to create a wide variety of flavored rums or a blend of aged rums.

  After a tour of the facilities led by Karen Nelthropp, Gary Nelthropp guided us through a classroom style presentation on the history of rum and Cruzan Rum production.  We tasted rums in different stages of production and gained a new respect for the talent and passion this family has for maintaining the high quality of their rums. If you have an opportunity to visit the island, just drop on by the Cruzan Rum Distillery. They’ll be glad to show you around, and encourage you to visit their Rum Pavilion for a taste of the “World’s Best Rum.”

Christina E. Buntin, Director of Purchasing, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits                                          

During a recent boring drive from West Palm to Orlando, one of my "wine geek" friends and I began challenging each other with wine trivia. It brought me back to the early 1980's when I was first trying to teach myself about wine. I would spend countless hours memorizing different classifications and lists. The 1855 classification of Bordeaux. The Grand Crus of Burgundy. The thirteen grapes allowed in Chateauneuf-du -Pape. The DOCGs of Italy.

As is the case with most trivia, memorizing these facts does not make you an expert, but it did give me a good foundation to build upon. And nearly 30 years later most of what I tried to learn still holds true today, except for one glaring exception.

DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is a legal category established in Italy in 1963 for its highest quality wines. It was established at the same time as the DOC as an Italian version of the French Appellation Controlee system. When I was trying to commit to memory the list of DOCGs there were eleven. The first five, Brunello Di Montalcino, Barolo, Barbaresco, Chianti and Vino Nobile Di Montepulcino, are on everyone's list of Italy's most important wines. There was a small crack in the system when the undistinguished Albana Di Romagna was awarded DOCG status in 1986, but the Italians got right back on track with subsequent DOCGs. That is, until fairly recently.

As of June 2011 there are now 71 DOCGs and counting. It seems like every couple of months the list of "great" Italian wines grows longer and longer. Personally, I have nothing against Cesanese del Piglio or Moscato di Scanzo having DOCG status, but I miss the days when DOCG really meant something. Needless to say this is one list I won't even try to keep up with.

Paul Quaglini

Continuing from Adam's post two weeks ago, here's the rest of what you need to know about beer glasses.

The fifth type is the “pint” a.k.a. “becker”, “nonic”, “tumbler”, or “pub glass”.  The pint glass is the standard glass you see at many bars.  It is nearly cylindrical, sometimes with a bubble in the middle, a slight taper in the end, and a wide mouth.  The 16oz tumbler is the most common in the US.  The imperial nonic is the 20oz version that sometimes has a ridge on the rim to aid in stacking.  The becker is the German equivalent with a taper in the end.   I own Samuel Smith, Guinness, and Strongbow ones.   You can serve just about any beer in these if you don’t want anything fancy looking.

The sixth type is the “snifter”.   These can be small with a near teardrop shape and very short stem.  The small opening captures strong aromas.  These are favored by brandy and Cognac drinkers because of its wide area for swirling to agitate volatiles.  High alcohol beers are great for this style like double IPAs, Imperial Stouts, Barleywines, and Wee Heavies.

The seventh type is the “stange”.  This is a traditional German glass meaning stick.  It has an almost perfect cylinder shape and goes well with more delicate beers to amplify hop and malt nuances.  I own a Spaten one with a nice gold rim.  Kolschs, Altbiers, Bocks, and Rye Beers are good for this style.

The eighth type is the “tulip”.  This boasts a broad tulip shape with a bulbous body and very wide rim to capture large, crowning heads.  I own Duvel (my favorite) and Maudite from Unibroue.  This type is good with a lot of Belgian styles of beer because of their full bodies and massive heads.  Try pouring Duvel into its own glass, it’s like meringue!  

The ninth type is the “weizen” glass.  These are almost like Pilsener glasses but have a larger taper in the end and thinner walls.  They are perfect for wheat beers and hold the thick, foamy heads associated with the style.  They are usually 0.5L and some of the tallest glasses.  Unfortunately the trademark orange garnish with Bluemoon (or any other citrus garnish for that matter) will actually stifle the head.

The tenth type is the oversized wine glass or Bordeaux wine glass.   Yes, a big ol’ 22oz wine glass is great for a full flavored Belgian beer to replace the tulip style.  The wide base opens up the beer’s full bouquet and palate potential.  It can also be a conversation piece because an unsuspecting bar patron could mistake your Brasserie d’ Achouffe “La Chouffe” for an odd colored chardonnay and you politely inform him or her that is a delicious Belgian strong pale ale. 

A reminder to those of you who like to toss your mugs or other glassware in the freezer: the frosting will produce condensation when your refrigerator temperature beer hits it, causing the beer to dilute and alter its ideal serving temperature if one was purposely achieved. 

Try to hand clean your glassware because dishwashers can leave a film, which may alter head retention, flavor, and aroma.  Use a mild dishwashing soap, and if you are really obsessive compulsive, you can have a separate sponge so there is no cross contamination from greasy food particles on a used sponge. Let them air dry, do not hand dry because the towel may leave dust particles which will affect the head retention. Caring for your glassware in this manner will also protect gold- or silver- rimmed glasses and glasses with silk-screened brewery logos.

 If you go to a dedicated beer bar like Stubbies and Steins in Gainesville, you will find that many breweries offer their own logoed glassware, which gives the perfect serving vessel for optimal enjoyment of that particular brew.  Enjoy!

Day 2 (Part 3): Bodegas Nekeas

We leave Zaragoza late in the afternoon and head north to Navarra.  The destination is the valley of Valdizarbe, the northernmost wine-growing district in the region.  Our group arrives at Bodegas Nekeas in the little village of Anorbe about two hours later.  Dusk is fast approaching and we barely have 30 minutes to tour through the vineyards before the sun sets. 

The winery’s energetic winemaker, Concha Vecino, eagerly greets us and then climbs aboard the motor coach to conduct an impromptu tour of the El Chaparral vineyard and its old vine parcels of Grenache.  Valdizarbe is in the foothills of the Pyrenees and the chill in the air leaves little doubt that we’re in Northern Spain.  Even in the fading light (and with my camera’s iris wide open in a futile attempt to genuinely capture the scenery) the valley’s stunning beauty is evident: freshly mown golden wheat fields juxtapose verdant green olive groves, shimmering almond trees and waves of old gnarly grape vines all framed by a pastel blue and pink sunset.  Shangri-La indeed!

This historical significance of the place is apparent too, as we pass old monastic buildings on our way back to the winery.  The valley is along the famous Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) route used by pilgrims since medieval times.  Guidebooks of the day, perhaps the 12th century equivalent of the Michelin Guide, advised road-weary travellers to stop here and slack their thirst with the local wine.  As the sun completely disappeared over the horizon, thoughts returned to my own parched throat as other members in the group were beginning to contemplate a little “thirst slacking” of their own. 

At the winery, Concha leads us through a sampling of her Vega Sindoa wines including the amazingly pure and elegant El Chaparral (named for the Chaparro oak trees in the vicinity).  Vega Sindoa also makes juicy examples of cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Viura and Tempranillo. 

What follows the tasting is another orgy of incredible food: Chorizos, Piquillo Peppers, Patatas Bravas, fresh local tomatoes and endives drizzled with Concha’s very own olive oil and a slab of beef so large it would make any carnivore drool with envy.  Prepared asado style with just a liberal sprinkling of coarse sea salt, these giant bone-in rib-eyes were seared perfectly and served a beautiful medium rare.  A tasty progression of Vega Sindoa wines were presented with each course.   

 

Somewhere near midnight we bid our gracious hostess a heartfelt buenas noches nuestra amiga as we head back to Zaragoza for one final night.  No doubt some of us aboard were dreaming dulce suenos on the return trip.  Our journey into the heart of Espana would continue.

Coming Next Time: Rioja Revisited

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida